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Digitising the School Estate: Unlocking Efficiency Through Data

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Robert Gould

Partner at Barker | Award-Winning Integrated Property Consultants

In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, the digitisation of estates represents a huge opportunity for schools and trusts to drive efficiency and optimise outcomes. The ability to collect, collate, and analyse estates data is transforming how schools operate, enabling centralised decision-making, breaking down silos for strategic planning, and driving operational efficiency. 

Why Digitise School Estates? 

Centralised Decision-Making: By digitising school estates, decision-makers can access a unified source of truth. This centralisation ensures that all stakeholders are working with the same data, leading to more informed and cohesive decisions. 

Breaking Silos for Strategic Planning: Traditional methods of managing school estates often result in fragmented data spread across various departments. Digitisation breaks down these silos, allowing for comprehensive strategic planning that considers all aspects of the school environment. 

Driving Operational Efficiency: With digitised data, schools can streamline operations, reduce redundancies, and optimise resource allocation. This efficiency translates into cost savings and improved educational outcomes. 

Key Data Sources 

To fully leverage the benefits of digitisation, schools need to focus on multiple data sources such as: 

  • Condition Data: Regular assessments of the physical state of buildings and infrastructure. 
  • Space Utilisation: Analysis of how different spaces within the school are used. 
  • Pupil Planning: Data on student numbers, demographics, and future enrolment projections. 
  • Energy Consumption: Monitoring and analysing energy use to identify savings and sustainability opportunities. 

The Role of BIM and Digital Twins 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) and the creation of digital twins are revolutionising how data is accessed and utilised. BIM provides a 3D graphical representation of the property, serving as a spatial database where data can be linked to any object within the model. This integration makes the data more accessible and engaging for stakeholders. 

Digital twins take this a step further by creating dynamic, data-rich representations of the built environment. These models are enriched with layered data, including condition, compliance, pupil capacity, and space utilisation, delivering greater insights and driving operational efficiencies. 

Harnessing Data with EOPortal 

Barker’s EO Portal is a powerful tool that enables schools to collate, report, and analyse their estates data effectively. The portal’s visualisations and tools allow for high-level strategic decisions, benchmarking sites, or drilling down to the details of a specific building or element. By integrating data streams, schools can create custom dashboards that provide real-time insights and facilitate data-driven decision-making. 

Aligning with Department for Education Guidance 

The Department for Education’s Good Estate Management for Schools (GEMS) guidance recommends the effective use of data to manage school estates. By following these guidelines, schools can ensure they are meeting best practices and optimising their resources. 

Implementation: A Typical Client Journey 

The journey to a fully digitised estate begins with digitally scanning all schools in a portfolio, developing comprehensive models for each site. These models are then enriched with layered data to create digital twins. Advanced software platforms enable seamless data integration, visualisation, and reporting, providing valuable insights for informed decision-making. 

Plymouth CAST trust has worked with Barker and BIM specialists, Building Spatial Intelligence, to unlock efficiency through the use of data. By leveraging digital twins and advanced data analytics, Plymouth CAST has significantly improved its operational efficiency and strategic planning. 

Upcoming Presentation 

Barker, Building Spatial Intelligence, and Paul Stewart from Plymouth CAST will be presenting this concept at the Confederation of School Trusts (CST) CFO/COO conference on 6th February. This presentation will provide further insights into the benefits of digitising school estates and how it can transform school management. 

Contact Us 

To learn more about how digitising your school estate can unlock efficiency and drive strategic decision-making, please contact us. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in harnessing the power of data for your school. 

By digitising the school estate, schools can unlock unprecedented levels of efficiency and strategic insight. Embrace the future of school management with Barker and take the first step towards a smarter, data-driven approach to managing your educational environment. 

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